Liberal Pie Fight

Okay, I'm sure you know all about the pie fight over at Kos. Various bloggers have been weighing in on it. I just read Steve Gilliard's post about it.

Just for the record, I could not give less of a shit about the pie fight ad. I don't even notice the ads on most of the blogs I visit. I understand that some people find the ad offensive. I don't think the ad warrants enough attention to be offensive, but I certainly understand those who feel otherwise.

But the vitriol directed towards those who are offended by the ad has been eye-opening. Demeaning, condescending, obnoxious, belittling comments have been directed towards those who were bothered by the ad. And it's been expanded towards anyone who dares to stand up and say that the issue's that matter to woman are important, perhaps too important to be sidelined.

So let me move from the pie fight to the abortion issue. Kos wrote today that he thinks abortion is horrible. He is pissed at NARAL and is really not happy with voters who favor a single issue. I hear what he's saying, and I understand, from an electoral perspective, that his opinion has value.

But I have a uterus. I have two daughters, too. I understand how at campaign time, it might not be bad to talk about the issue of privacy rather than about pro-choice, but it feels much more urgent when you are actually in possession of the body parts that are on the table for discussion of compromise. There is no equivalent imposition on men (unless of course there is a draft). Of course this is an issue that is going to be more resonant and personal to some of us.

So here I am, a woman, a mother, a loyal Democratic voter, and I'm telling my party: I want a Democratic majority, and I want the soldiers to come home, I want a sane foreign policy, I want equal rights for all people, I want all Americans to have health care, I want a clean environment, I want to cut down our dependence on oil, I want NCLB to die in favor of a less ignorant education policy *and* I want to have autonomy over my own body. I don't see how any of those things can be sidelined, or put down as not *as* important. If the Democratic party doesn't stand up for those things, then I'll try to find a party that will.

I really believe the key to electoral victory lies in taking a stand. I've said it before. Look at the shit that the Republicans stand up for: polluting factories, mercury in the water, corruption in the boardroom, torture, creating classes of people with fewer rights than others, let the rich get richer, screw the poor. It's all complete shit, and they proudly smile and serve it up like it was apple pie a la mode. And they win. Maybe the Democrats can learn something from them - not how to be more like them, because that would be retarded, but how to stand up for the things you believe in. The Democrats (the voters, I mean) believe in a lot of good stuff, why run away from it?

All this pie stuff has also revealed how much a lot of the big bloggers hate it when women stand up for themselves. They really hate it when we tap them on the shoulder and say "you're full of shit, dude." So they tell us that what we are saying isn't really important, that we're being selfish, or bizarre, or that our arguments have no merit. And that's fine - if you want to disagree with me, and tell me so, I'm a big girl, and I can stand up for myself. Maybe you will even convince me. But you won't do it by hurling insults and attacks, and insinuating that I'm a humorless bitch. I'm really not.